CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland survived a late Oneonta comeback and the host Red Dragons earned a 72-69 victory over the visiting Red Dragons in a SUNYAC men's basketball matchup.
Both teams are now 9-10 overall and are tied for sixth in the SUNYAC with 6-6 records, one game behind fifth-place Plattsburgh. There are six regular-season league games remaining for each team, and the top six teams in the final standings earn spots in the SUNYAC postseason tournament.
Cortland trailed 33-30 at halftime but opened the second half with a 9-0 run. The hosts built a 15-point lead on two occasions in the opening 10 minutes of the half and still led by 12, 66-54, with five and a half minutes left.
Oneonta scored eight straight points, capped by an Xavier Hill layup with 2:17 left, to close within four.
Gerrad Beaubrun (Baldwin) hit a 3-pointer with 1:58 left to push the lead to seven, but Oneonta scored six of the next seven points and trailed 70-68 after a Graham Wooden basket with 32 seconds left.
Beaubrun hit one free throw with 24 seconds left, Hill made one free throw moments later, and
Kendall Arcuri (Staten Island/St. Joseph by the Sea) made the second of two foul shots with 19 seconds left to give Cortland a 72-69 lead. Oneonta raced down the court and missed four potential game-tying 3-pointers over the final 12 seconds, one of which was blocked by
Aaron Coston (Kerhonkson/Rondout Valley).
Kareem Lubin (Monroe/Washingtonville) made 7-of-11 shots and led Cortland with 17 points. Arcuri finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists. Beaubrun tied his career highs with 12 points and five rebounds and
Danny Linehan (Blauvelt/Tappan Zee) hit 4-of-6 treys for 12 points.
Jaylen Warmack (Utica/Utica Notre Dame) added eight points, five assists and five rebounds and Coston totaled seven points and nine rebounds.
Elijah Castillo finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Wooden had 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including three 3-pointers, and Hill posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Oneonta.
